The present invention generally relates to a support mechanism for supporting a cover for spas and hot tubs.
Nearly all hot tubs and spas include a cover that is sufficiently sized to cover the entire opening of the hot tub while also being thermally insulated to prevent excessive heat loss from the water in the hot tub. Such covers are often bulky and difficult to handle. To ameliorate this problem, covers often include one or more hinges to allow the cover to be folded. Additionally, various mechanisms have been constructed for supporting the cover and enabling the cover to be pivoted relative to the hot tub. Some of these devices include complex spring-biased mechanisms and others include complicated and expensive hydraulics. Thus, the hot tub owner is typically faced with only two options—either attempting to manually remove and replace the cover while setting the cover on the ground in the vicinity of the hot tub each time the hot tub is utilized, or buying a rather expensive support mechanism that attaches to the hot tub and cover.
Thus, there exists a need for a hot tub cover support mechanism that is inexpensive and easy to utilize.